Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Steroid injections shrink lipomas in dogs without surgery
By Lamagna, Barbara et al.·Published in PloS one·2012·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine lipomas treated with steroid injections: clinical findings.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with fatty tumors called lipomas received steroid injections instead of surgery to see if it could help shrink the tumors. Out of 15 dogs treated, 9 showed complete shrinkage of their lipomas, while others had a reduction in size and some relief from discomfort and limping. The steroid injections were generally safe, with only a few dogs experiencing increased thirst and urination for a couple of weeks afterward. This treatment option could be a good alternative for pet owners looking to avoid surgery.
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Abstract
Lipomas are common benign tumours of fat cells. In most cases, surgical excision is curative and simple to perform; however, such a procedure requires general anaesthesia and may be associated with delayed wound healing, seroma formation and nerve injury in deep and intramuscular tumours. The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment of subcutaneous, subfascial or intermuscular lipomas using intralesional steroid injections in dogs. Fifteen dogs presenting with lipomas were selected for treatment with ultrasound-guided intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide at a dose of 40 mg/mL. Nine subcutaneous and subfascial tumours showed a complete regression. The other lipomas decreased in diameter, achieving, in some cases, remission of discomfort and regression of lameness. Steroid injection was a relatively safe and effective treatment for lipomas in dogs; only six dogs experienced polyuria/polydipsia for about 2 weeks post-treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23226250/